Package and mounting for hypodermic syringe assembly



Oct. 18, 1955 PACKAGE AND MOUNTING FOR HYPODERMIC SYRINGE ASSEMBLY c. o. KENDALL 2,720,969

Filed Deo. lO, 1953 AHH/4 PRlm United States Patent iiiice 2,720,969 Patented Oct. :18, 1955 PACKAGE AND MOUNTING FOR HYPDDERMIC SYRINGE ASSEMBLY Charles 0. Kendall, Waldwick, N. J., assignor to Becton, Dickinson anti Company, Rutherford, N. J., `a corporation of New Jersey Application December 10, 1953, Serial No. 397,318 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-78) This invention relates to a structurally and functionally improved package and/ or display mounting for a hypodermic syringe assembly and by means of which the parts of the latter will be maintained in proper relative positions and be readily available for use by a physician or other technician.

It is a primary object of the invention to Vfurnish a mounting which will support the parts yof a syringe assembly against accidental movement with respect to each other so that these parts will be maintained in Vproper relative positions until they are to be used and Without any danger existing of the device being rendered operative by accidental pressures, jars, etc.

A further object is that of furnishing a mounting such that the elements of the supported assembly will be maintained in their initially sterile condition, free from contamination. Also, the assembly will be properly labeled to comply with the laws governing the packaging `of medicament. However, the parts will be instantly available to the user so that he may readily disassociate them from the mounting or package and render the assembly operative for injection purposes.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attached sheet of drawings and illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention and lin which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete package Yor mounting for a single hypodermic syringe assembly and showing such an assembly in position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2 2 in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken along the lines 3 3, 4-4 and 5 5 respectively, in the direction of the arrows as indicated in Fig. l.

While the present invention is notlimited to use with a syringe assembly of one specific coniiguraton or type, it is primarily intended that such assembly include parts which must be relatively moved in order to render the apparatus operative. Also it is contemplated that ,the barrel of the assembly may be packaged with medicament at the time it reaches the ultimate user. A preferred form of assembly embodying vthese characteristics has been shown in position in Figs. l and 2. Primarily referring to that assembly and these views, it will be seen that the numeral indicates the barrel of the syringe which, in the usual manner, has its rear open end defined by a ange 11 and its bore closed adjacent this rear end by a piston stopper 12. The'latter is intended tobe engaged by an actuator and for the purpose ofbeing coupled therewith is conveniently furnished with a screw threaded rear recess. The forward end of the barrel may be reduced in diameter as indicated at 13 andpreferably terminates in an outwardly extending flange, Slidably embracing this ange is the hub 15 of an assembly of which a needle 14 forms a part. This needls is rigidly supported by the hub and the side Walls of the latter are provided with oneor more instruck tongue portions A16. A needle sheath 17 has an open end dened Aby a ange 18. This bears against the base of the cup-shaped 'hub 15. At its outer end, the sheath is conveniently formed with a screw threaded extension 19 which is receivable Within the recess of the piston 12. As shown, 'needle 14,has points at yboth of its ends and the inner needle .end is embedded within a stopper 20, preferably of rubber and which -stopper seals the forward or outer end of barrel 10.

It is apparent that with hub 15 merely partially telescoped over the ange of reduced portion 13 and the head of stopper 20, a somewhat casual connection is established. In fact, any sudden jar or strain is liable to result in a detachment of the needle assembly and the sheath from the barrel. Conversely, if the hub 15 is -forcibly telescoped over the reduced end portion of the barrel, then the inner end of the needle will be placed in contact with the liquid medicament contained in that barrel. Simultaneously with the establishment of com- Vmunication between the bore of the needle and barrel interior, .the locking detent (such as the tongue 16) will engage Vagainst-the rear surface of the flange at the outer end of reduced portion 13. This will lock Vthe parts against separation.

It is obvious that this -nal positioning of the parts should vnot occur until just before the injection is to be given. At Vthat time, the physician or other user, by deliberate manipulation, can establish the desired relative positions. This will involve a telescoping of the needle hub over the neck of the barrel. With such movement of the parts the inner end of the needle is caused to pierce stopper 20 so that its bore is in communication with the medicament contained within the barrel. Also, the tongues or pawls will override the ange at the outer end of reduced portion 13 and lock behind the same to prevent a subsequent separation ofthe needle assembly from the barrel and in eiect to secure these two parts against any movements with respect to each other. Thereupon by detaching sheath `17 from hub 15, the needle 14 has its outer end exposed. This needle, of course, has been maintained in sterile condition by the sheath prior to its removal. Now by coupling extension 19 of the sheath with the threaded recess of piston 12 or establishing any other coupling which is provided at this point, the physician will be able to aspirate by retract-ing piston 12 and Will 'be able to inject by projecting that piston.

The present package and mounting serves to adequately display the assembly and permit an identication of the contained medicament. Also, it serves to protect the elements of the assembly from shifting so Athat a physician may be asssured the parts are in proper condition at the time he receives the package. Finally, the physician or other user will be enabled to substantially instantly Withdraw the assembly and Vestablish the operative kcondition of the parts. To this end, the package or mounting is ,formed Yof suitable sheet material such as, for example, plastic of relatively thin gauge.

Thus., this sheet has, in the accompanying drawings, been Vindicated by the numeral 21. It is formed with a longi- -tudinallyextending trough including an outer end portion 22 of a width such that it may receive the sheath 17. The opposite end portion of the trough Yat 23 has a Width such Athat it may receive barrel 10. The vsheet 21 is formed .of a material preferably lhaving resilient characteristics. A protuberance 24 extends into trough portion 22 from the end wall of the same. A-second protuberanee 2,5 extends from the end wall of trough portion .23, Enlargements, or recesses may be furnished in the base of the Vtrough portions as indicated at 26 and 27. intersecting the zone of the trough p ortion 23 is a recess or second trough portion 28. The width of the latter should be ampleto accommodate in its opposite ends, for

Ywith the rear of trough portion 22, the material is bumped inwardly as at 29 to provide overlapping or clip arms defining between their ends a Ydistance less than the diameter of the hub 15. Y t Now with the needle assembly associated with the barrel in the manner shown, all parts of the syringe which must remain uncontaminated, will be completely protected. The syringe is disposed in the trough with the rear open end of barrel as defined by flange 11 receiving the protuberance 25. The end of sheath 17 providing part of the needle assembly is slid past protuberance 24. The resiliency of the material embraced in sheet 21 or its equivalent permits of the latter springing to allow for this shifting of the parts. Under these circumstances, Vthe rocking movement'of which the adjacent ends of the barrel and needle assembly are capable will cause the central zone to shift through a dead-center position so that flange ,'18 will bear iirmly'against the base ofthe trough. If an enlargement such as 27 is furnished, then the adjacent fiange surface may extend into the recess defined by it. Therefore, the inherent resiliency embodied in the entire assembly will cause the parts of the syringe to remain in mounted position. At the same time, pressures willV not be so great that the inner end of needle 14 will be caused to penetrate stopper 20 or its equivalent.

Quite aside fromY this factor of retention and regardless of whether such structure vis used, the clip portions defined by extended parts 29 will spread as the syringe is disposed in the trough. They will cam against the surface of cup until the latter snaps downwardly or inwardly to its final position shown in Fig. 2. With the parts so disposed, these clip ends will overlap the central zone of the syringe assembly and will prevent the latter from accidentally raising. While it is, of course, entirely feasible to merely employ the clips or the dead center structure, it is definitely preferred to embody both of these features in Y the mounting. Thus, a double safeguard will be furnished to prevent accidental displacement and in either event the outer ends of the sheath 17 and barrel will be held against shifting upwardly within the trough. The width of the latter through portions 22 and 23 precludes'of the fingers of a user grasping any part of the syringe for the purpose of lifting it from the trough.

Also, a label 30 will, quite independently of the foregoing,.serve to retain the assembly. This label, bearing identification of medicament contained in barrel 10, will fully comply with the regulations safeguarding the use of the medicament. In other words, the label will be definitely individual to and overlying to the vial, ampule or barrel 10. Finally this label will clearly show that the assemblyV has never theretofore been used, or removed from its mounting and thus will serve as an indicator in this connection as Well as preventing access to the transverse trough or recess v28.

However, when a physician or other user desires to employ the syringe, all that he has to do is grasp tab 31 and strip o label 30. Thereupon, by inserting the thumb and forefinger respectively through opposite sides of the recess 28 as shown in Fig. 3, the syringe barrel may be grasped and lifted upwardly. With such lifting, the outer ends of theV syringe may tend to pivot with respect to the ends of the trough. Regardless of this, however, hub or cup 15 will shift past clips 29 and the entire assembly maynow be lifted clear of sheet 21.

The physician byJbrmglng pressure to bear against Asheath 17 in the direction of the barrel, will cause the vneedle hub to telescope over the end of that barrel.

will result in the locking elements of the assembly func- 'Ibis tioning,1the inner end of needle 14 being placed in communication with the interior of barrel 10 and the needle 'assembly being stabilized so that it remains, in effect,

rigid and co-extensive with the barrel. Now, by detach- -ing sheath'r17, the needle is exposed and an actuator is provided for piston 12. As afore brought out, with the coupling of that actuator and piston, the syringe may be aspirated or an injection may be given.

Thereafter the entire assembly should be discarded. Sections of sheet 21 may be individual to a given syringe assembly or else may be formed to furnish a plurality of mountings or packages.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specifically aforenoted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction and rearrangements of the partsV might be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim: Y

l. A package for a hypodermic syringe comprising in combination a syringe barrel, a needle assembly coextensive and in contact therewith, said barrel and assembly being relatively rockable, a body of material defining a trough portion receiving said barrel andassembly, the ends of said trough being separated a distance less than the ends of said syringe and said package being formed of resilient material whereby-with the ends of said syringe engaging the ends of said trough-the adjacent parts of the barrel and needle assembly will swing past a dead-center position defined by their axial alignment and will bear against the trough base.

2. :A package for a hypodermic syringe comprising in combination a syringe barrel, a needle assembly coextensive and in contact therewith, said barrel and assembly being relatively rockable, a body of material defining a trough portion receiving said barrel and assembly, the ends of said trough being separated a distance less than the ends of said syringe, said package being formed of resilient material, whereby-with the ends of said syring engaging the ends of said troughthe adjacent partsV of the barrel and needle assembly will swing past a dead-center position defined by their axial alignment and will bear against the trough base and a clip structure overlying said syringe and said trough base at a point intermediate the ends of the latter to prevent removal of said syringe from said trough.

3. A package for a hypodermic syringe comprising in combination a syringe barrel, a needle assembly coexteusive and in contact therewith, said barrel 'and 'assembly being relatively rockable, a body of material defininga trough portion receiving said barrel and assembly, the ends of said trough being separated a distance less than the ends of said syringe, said package being formed of resilient material whereby-with the ends of said syringe engaging the ends of said trough-the adjacent parts of the barrel and needle assembly will swing past a dead-center position defined by their axial alignment and will bear against the trough base and means forming a part of said body and cooperating with the ends of said syringe to prevent an elevation thereof.

4. A package for a hypodermic syringe comprising in combination a syringe barrel, a needle assembly coextensive and in contact therewith, said barrel and assembly being relatively rockable, a body of material defining a trough portion receiving said barrel and assembly, the ends ofv said trough being separated a distanceless than the ends of said syringe, said package being .formed of resilient material wherebywith the ends of said syringe engaging the ends of said trough-the adjacent parts of the barrel and needle assembly will swing past a dead-center ends of said syringe, said package being formed Vof resilient -Y U material whereby-with the ends of said syringe engaging the ends of said trough-the adjacent parts of the barrel and needle assembly will swing past a dead-center position defined by their axial alignment and will bear against the trough base, said trough being intersected by a recess into which the ngers of the operator may be inserted for the purpose of grasping such syringe and a label attached to said body and extending across said recess adjacent and overlying said barrel to prevent such grasping of the syringe.

6. A package for a hypodermic syringe comprising in combination a syringe barrel, a needle assembly coeX tensive and in contact therewith, said barrel and assembly being relatively rockable, a body dening a trough receiving said barrel and assembly and protuberances eX- tending from the ends of said trough and separated a distance less than the separation of the adjacent ends of said assembly and barrel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS 

